"Hey, now I have to cook food for Nancy!" Amber said as she put on her apron and began chopping vegetables already laid out on the kitchen platform.
I glanced at the sofa where Nancy was still asleep. "Why don't you take her to the playground?"
"Because she's sleeping today. Otherwise, every afternoon, I do take her there. And by the way…" She raised an eyebrow. "Whose sister is she, again?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, my expression twisting into irritation.
"Nothing, really," she shrugged. "Just curious. Also, where do you go for work?"
I froze for a second. What should I say? Then—yes! I quickly replied, "Umm… Actually, I work at L'Oréal. The cosmetics company."
"Ooh! Fancy. And what about Monsieur Oak?"
"Umm… he works in a food company."
She chuckled. "Ha! I knew it. You're lying. He's part of a secret organisation, isn't he? I'm just asking—what does he do there?"
"It's none of your business, Mademoiselle Amber Dubois. I'm not the kind of person who spills everything, especially when it involves our identities."
"Wow." She exaggerated her sarcasm. "So intense."
Then a thought struck me. "Does your principal know anything about us?"
"Yeah, she knows... but not about your organisation," Amber replied while continuing to chop vegetables.
"Great!" I stepped closer to her, narrowing my eyes. "And if you do tell her anything—anything at all—I'll make sure you disappear before we ever hit the ground. Got that?"
With an unbothered smile, she turned to me. "Well, well, Mademoiselle Ariadne. Don't you trust me?"
"What do you think?" I shot back coldly.
We locked eyes for a few tense seconds, then she looked away. "I think… you don't trust me."
I crossed my arms and looked away too. "Right."
But curiosity got the better of me. "What does she look like?"
"Who—Caroline or Madame Bourgeois?"
"Caroline, I mean."
Amber reached over to the table, grabbed her phone, and handed it to me. "Look. I'm cooking, so just scroll through them yourself."
"Ye-yeah," I said, a bit distracted as I took the phone. My eyes shifted to the screen, flipping through photo after photo.
Caroline was beautiful. Every image showed her smiling, carefree, filled with warmth. But something stood out...
"Hey, Amber!" I called out.
"What?"
"Why in every photo… are Caroline's eyes closed?"
"She's blind," Amber said simply.
"Ohh..." I muttered while scrolling. Then the realization hit me.
"What?!" I exclaimed, staring at her. "She—she's blind?!"
"Yep."
I laughed awkwardly, "Okay… so did Jesus give her a supernatural power that allowed her to see you and your boyfriend… umm…" I trailed off, feeling awkward and turning away.
Amber laughed. "Haha! Who knows? God knows. Maybe she knows."
"I'm not joking, dear," I said with a frown.
"Actually," Amber said, her voice softening, "she's always been good at sensing the atmosphere and the people around her. She was trained in an orphanage from a very young age."
"So, what does she do now?" I asked, although I already knew about her past involvement with Velvéra.
"She was an elite nanny. Completed five missions. But she wanted to do more—like work in the fashion industry. So she started a course alongside her assignments. She told me she took the exam to become the secretary of the Velvéra Company's CEO. But right when she did… everything with me happened. I don't even know if she passed. She also had such good taste related to trends. Never saw color or shape in her life, but I swear—God must've given her something else in return."
"Ohh… but whatever the case, she's a gorgeous and sweet girl," I said genuinely.
Amber smiled. "I know that."
Later that night… at my mansion.
After a long shower, I sat on the edge of my bed, massaging my temples as a dull ache pounded through my skull.
"Now it's time to confront the entire organisation," I murmured. "And that cunning woman… Crimson Night... she'll be no more in this world. Just wait and see."
I smirked as I stared at the screen of my laptop and dialed Thomas Oak's number on the screen of my phone.
Du du du…
"Hello?"
"Yes, hello, Monsieur Oak."
"Oh yeah! Tell me—what's going on?"
"First, confirm—are you really Thomas Oak?"
"Yes, yes! That bitch only took my phone earlier to check what we usually talk about. She gave it right back."
"Good. Because we're now targets of the entire organisation..."
"So?"
"Want to play a little game with me, Monsieur Thomas?" I asked, the smirk never leaving my face.
"What do you mean?" he asked, wary.
"You heard the news, right?"
"Yes. So?"
"You know Franz Stedelen? Once the heir of the YAYA company?"
"Oh, that guy? The one you managed to get imprisoned despite his clean reputation?"
"Exactly." I leaned back with a grin. "So… let's use him against that vixen."